Edwin Clark, an Ijaw national leader, says Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is afraid to speak on the clamour for restructuring of the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday, Clark accused the APC leader of keeping quiet on the issue owing to his 2023 ambition.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, has not officially declared intentions to vie for the 2023 presidency, but his associates have begun campaigns for him.
“What several Nigerians want is actually the restructuring of the country in order to douse the tensions and agitations which is almost tearing the country apart today, and is the main cause of the high insecurity being experienced,” Clark said.
“Nigerians are ready to accept the implementation of the 2014 National Conference, or the APC’s El-Rufai Committee Report, any of which will no doubt satisfy the generality of the Nigerian people.
“The Tinubus who brought restructuring to the manifesto of APC have not spoken because they fear that if they do, they will not be allowed to contest for the presidency of the country, come 2023.
“We want to reiterate that we are more patriotic than those who do not believe in restructuring of Nigeria, even though we are very well pleased to shame them, because majority of other Nigerians also believe in the restructuring of the country. We, however, wish to advise those minority to follow us, the majority, as we mean well for the country.”
Clark also challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a meeting of representatives of Nigeria to deliberate on the report submitted by the Nasir el-Rufai committee on restructuring.
